By Bob Gatton
When pre-wiring a house for an audio video, communications or security system, one of the issues that I have faced is how to quickly find the ends of wires after the drywall has been installed. I have used notes on blueprints, sketches, digital photos and toners.
All of these can work, but usually not very quickly or accurately. Enter Xspot Wire Location Products. Inventor Mark Sipe has created one of those "why didn't I think of that" products. With his system you thread the end of the wire on an Xspot before the drywall is installed. After the drywall has been installed you can easily find the Xspot with the Xcentric. There are magnets in both the Xspot and Xcentric.
When you go back to finish the job, you simply move the Xcentric over the drywall until the magnets are attracted to each other. To make sure that you didn't find a nail instead of the Xspot, turn the Xcentric over and if it is repelled, you have found the Xspot. If it is still attracted, you found a nail. The Xcentric has four holes in it; after you've found the Xspot, use a pencil to put a mark on the wall through each of the holes. Now you know exactly where you should drill the drywall to find the Xspot and your wire, its accurate to within a quarter of an inch. Very simple, very clever.
The Xspot system includes the following products:
- the Xspot for heavy gauge wires;
- the Xspot-mini for small gauge wires;
- Xbox – a single gang box for mounting either of the Xspots;
- Xstrap – to secure an Xspot between studs;
- two different locating tools, the Xcentric – with four holes, and the Xstreme – without holes;
- and the Xbooty bag – small cloth bags that you can put either of the locating tools in to protect the finished wall.
These products are available individually or in prepackaged combinations in X-Pack buckets.
I tried the system out in my house and found that it worked exactly as promised, but I wanted to talk to someone who has been using these products for a while. Jason Dell, of Dell Smart Home Solutions in Smithville, Ontario has used Xspot products on numerous jobs, and he added a few more benefits:
- A path for easy upgrades. For example, if a customer only wants a few zones in their whole house audio system, you can pre-wire additional rooms. Months, or even years later you easily find the wire and expand the customers system;
- Customer retention. While you can easily find the wires, for a competitor it will be more difficult if they don't use the Xspot system. I know that I have done a few pre-wire jobs (usually low profit) and then got underbid and lost the installation of the electronics (better profitability).
The Xspot products are not cheap but all, except the Xstrap and Xboxes, are reusable. After you find the wire, remove the Xspot and use it again on the next job.
To find out more about this product, go to the company's website, Xspot Products, and be sure to watch the video.
Bob Gatton is a consultant and designer for home theaters and home automation systems. Check out his blog: Bob Gatton's Tech Talk.
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